OXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Browns turned the ball over on back-to-back-to-back plays in the first quarter in the New England rain, leading to a pair of Patriots touchdowns that changed a three-point lead into a 17-0 runaway and a 27-13 victory for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Nick Chubb ran for 131 yards, but he also fumbled on consecutive plays before Baker Mayfield was intercepted on a shovel pass to put Cleveland in a hole it couldn’t get out of against the dominant New England defense.
The D has scored four touchdowns and only allowed four at the midway point of the season.
The Browns have lost three straight games while the Patriots improved to 8-0 for the third time in team history and the first time since 2015, when they started 10-0.
Tom Brady threw for 259 yards and two touchdown passes and Bill Belichick earned his 300th career NFL coaching victory. Belichick sits behind only Don Shula’s 347 and George Halas’ 324 on the NFL’s all-time win list.